tips & tricks

If you’re a regular reader of The Studio, then you know that we’ve featured dozens of videos over the years. But did you know that all of these videos (and hundreds more!) are on Rio Grande’s YouTube channel? Since 2009, our dedicated in-house video production team has scripted, directed, filmed, edited, and uploaded new, fun, and highly informative jewelry-making videos for you, our customer, to Rio’s channel. In 2013, we added more than 100 videos and reached the 5 million views mark! See a few of our favorites on The Studio today.

Social Media is hot, it is growing, and it is changing every day. What does this mean for the jewelry industry? Is it worth investing in such a sprawling, time-consuming endeavor? The answer is Yes! Today, The Studio is thrilled to have a contribution from entrepreneur extraordinaire Nina Cooper of Nina Designs. This is the first in an ongoing series of posts from Nina and we hope that, after reading it, you’ll be inspired to take your business to the next level by diving into social media!

You hear the term “branding” a lot when talking to businesses whether they are large or small. What is your brand? Why is branding important? How can you brand yourself and your business? It is difficult, if not downright impossible, to be a successful entrepreneur anymore unless you have an established brand look, feel, image, logo, marketing materials, and product. Read today’s Business Know-How with Marlene Richey to get the branding nitty gritty and then start building your brand!

Holiday shopping season is around the corner! Are you ready to show off your jewelry? I mean, really ready? It takes some assessment and house cleaning to position your beautiful line of jewelry in the best possible light. To help you get the most from your displays this season we’re sharing a helpful checklist of display and packaging details and then a great video with Mark Nelson which features even more display tips and ideas.

Sometimes the very place where a gemstone would go is the place where a jeweler puts another kind of gem instead: a resin medium that holds mementos, art, and keepsakes. Today’s blog post features three resin projects, all available free on the jewelry making project page of Rio’s website. Our own Shelby Chant shows us how much fun it can be to create elegant and one-of-a-kind resin jewelry.

There are dozens of ways that you can promote your products, or yourself as an artist, without all the technical mumbo jumbo that most people associate with search engine marketing. Today, on The Studio, Rio marketing genius Arien Gessner shows you a great option that is ideal for selling jewelry—Google Merchant Center.

In today’s blog post, Good Pricing Strategies—Part Two, Marlene Richey offers six more concrete tips about how jewelry makers can establish a smart pricing strategy that will make them profitable. After all, profits make it possible for you to follow your passion AND make a living at it. Profits = Happiness.

There are as many ways to create a pricing formula as there are people running businesses. In today’s post, Marlene Richey focuses on helping jewelry makers establish a smart pricing strategy by breaking her method down into easy, straightforward steps.

Saw frames. At first glance one looks very similar to the next. But, there are several features that you should consider before purchasing one. Whether you’re new to sawing or you’re a seasoned pro, Yvonne M. Padilla shares her knowledge about saw frames so that you can choose the right one for every jewelry making project.

In today’s Business Savvy post, Etsy jeweler and business woman Barbara Polinsky gives concrete, step-by-step advice about how to find success as an Etsy.com seller. Her tips can help you get the most from your Etsy store or perhaps give you the courage and inspiration you need to dive into selling your goods on Etsy for the first time!

Rio Grande recently began offering a wider variety of rose gold and gold-filled findings and has added a line of pink gold and gold-filled sheet and wire. At the same time, though, Rio is not offering any pink gold solders, and customers have been looking for them to use with their pink gold jewelry designs. But, wait, Rio is all about carrying whatever the jewelry makers need or want to do their work more conveniently and easily . . . what gives?

When I consult with clients or teach a class, one of the first things I have folks do is define and describe their ultimate customer. Who is willing to slap down hard-earned cash to have your services or jewelry? And how do you get their attention?

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Rio Grande’s Blog

Welcome to Rio Grande's Blog, a meeting place for those who, like all of us at Rio Grande, share a passion for making jewelry.

This little corner of the web is your opportunity to meet and visit with our experts and the experts who are our friends and partners. Come by often and see what’s new. Offer your take on the latest and greatest in your shop or studio.

Whether you’re just starting out or are always on the prowl for a new idea or inspiration, we look forward to getting to know you!